St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1887-03-23
SAINT PAUL MATTERS.
Members of the Board of Education Ex-
press Themselves on the Contract
for Ventilation.
The Ninetieth Anniversary Of Kaiser
Wilhelm Fifty Observed by Ger
mans in the City.
jewellers on West Seventh Street
Insist hat the Ferry Should
BE Built.
Results of Tests in Heating Cars by
Steam q ossip in the Cor
rfdorS.
THE ROW OVER BIDS.

Members OF the Board of Education
Defend Themselves From the
Charges of Unfair Dealing with
Local Contractors.
President Schiffnamn, of the board of ed
ucation, when seen yesterday, was lndlg-
nant that the local contractors should raise
such rumpuS because the contract for
ventilating the Madison, Jefferson and Sim
clair school buildings had been awarded to
the Chicago Exhaust Ventilating company.
DR.. Schitfmann said that the contract had
not been made to st. Paul contractor for
the single reason that they had not sent in
any plans or specifications, Besides, y
added the doctor, I'VE do not propose to
experiment.; the system which we have
adopted has been in operation for some
time, and has given immense satisfaction
wherever it is in USE"
Otto Dreher. the secretary of the board,
said that the contract awarded to the Chi
cago firm Monday night was for ventilating
the schools and not for heating them, as
.he discontinued contractors claim. Bids
ior steam heating will probably be called
Tor at the next meeting, when the local con-
tractors will stand an equal show with out
siders. Regarding the Chicago contract, he
said that it had been awarded in accordance
with resolution introduced by Supt. II. S.
Williams at an official meeting called for
the purpose on Nov. 3, 1856. On the
not only mailed to prominent contractors
in st. Paul and Minneapolis. but to Chi
cago, Boston and Detroit parties as well, by
the secretary. Numerous letters were re-
ceived by Secretary Dreher in reply to this
communication, but the Chicago Exhaust
Nentilating company alone sent in detailed
plans and specifications. Other members
of the board of education were surprised
that there should have been any question
regarding the awards. Although Chi
cago firm has the contract" said one prom
inent official, you may depend ON it that
the work will be done by st. Paul mechan
les and the materials will come from here
as we'll, so why wrangle any further over
this business. IT'S but a tempest in tea
pot at the most"
ME-. PoSTLETHWAITE'S STATEMENT.
Mr.. PoStethwaite, chairman Of the COM
mttee on real estate, was seen last evening
and was very emphatic in his declaration
that MessrS. Osborn and Rogers were treat
ed in precisely the same manner as to the
bids, as was the Chicago company. He
affirmed that there was no favor whatever
shown to the Chicago company. He said:
Mr.. Williams himself, who is now making
so much opposition. in November last offered
a resolution directing the real estate commit
tee TO ascertain the cost of putting steam
heating and ventlating in the Jefferson, Mad
son and Lincoln school buildings, and in ac-
cordance with that resolution the circulars
were prepared and sent out. These circulars
were perfectly understood. Furthermore, l
may add / met Mr. Osborn on the street,
talked with him about the matter and urged
him TO put in bid. No point can be made on
this On the 10th of March last / reported to
the board that tie circular had been sent to
firms in St. Paul and to other cities, and that
was prepared to report that steam neat and
mechanical ventilation could be introduced,
but that | felt that Notwithstanding the
appal ent shabby treatment the board had re-
ceived at the hands Of the steam-heating fra
ternity of St. Paul, further efforts should
be made to get competitive bids. The report
was adopted and further efforts were made.
The st. Paul men did not put in bids. Mr..
Osborn and Mr.. Rogers both declined to put
in plans and specifications, for the reason
that they would cost them too much money
The two latter gentlemen base their objection
TO putting, in plans ana specifications on the
fact that they would cost from $500 to $500.
The committee considered that to be the BUSH
ness of Nj. Osborn and MIR. Rogers. If they
felt that they could not afford TO comply with
the resolution adopted by the board, that was
Il matter that the committee thought it ought
not to Interfere with. All the committee
could do was to give every bidder precisely
the same opportunity without favor, and
have no doubt whatever that the committee
did do this. ii Mr.. Osborn and Mr.. Rogers
did not put in bids the fault is
their own, and they have no one to blame but
themselves. Mr.. Osborn is made to say in
the GLOBE that There was 'woodchuck'
somewhere l suppose this quotation or
phrase means that the committee, or some
member or members of It, has have re-
ceiyed some advantage from his or their
action. In other words, it is the usual
charge of ''bribery and corruption" The
committee is composed of Messrs. Postle-
thwaite, Wampler, Giesen, Ellis. Haas and
Dobner. Messrs. Wampler and Haas have
been away and Ellis voted No conse-
Quentiy these three out of the question.
do not believe that Messrs. Dobner and
Giesen can be purchased, or that any one
would dare to venture TO influence their Off
cial action by corrupt means. As for myself,
l don't propose to consider that point at all.
THE LOCAL BIDDERS.
The steam-heating fraternity of the city
who were left out in the cold Monday
night by the board of education, accuse the
board of discrimination against home con-
Germs. E. T. Osborne, who took trouble to
draw up plans and specifications for the
consideration of the board. was particularly
wrathy. When GLOBE reporter called
on him last night he complained that not
only were st. Paul firms prevented from
bidding, but that the bid of the Chicago
firm to yentilate the buildings for SIT, III
was an enormous figure for that portion OF
the work. In Mr.. Osbornes specifications
the entire cost Of heating and ventilating
apparatus for the three buildings was a
lritle more than ISL, 900. of which $40, O0U
represented the cost of the ventilating ap.
(lcb
figured 20 per cent. profit, and the work
aid apparatus was guaranteed by bond tC
be as good as could be furnished by any
other firm, and entirely satisfactory.
HIS NlNETnET1a BIRTHDAY.
s;crmans OF ST. paul Celebrate Err
peror Williams Goth Birthday
With a Grand Fest.
Iii il dignified. quiet way, the German
American citizens of this city paid theil
niveisary of his birthday. There were nc
other demonstrations than the firing of g
few bombs until evening. when the kreig
er-Verin gave a grand fest and ball i'm Tur-
her hall.
The programme at the fest commenced
with an overture by Seibert's orchestra. Then
the president of the society, John Jessrang.
delivered brief address OF welcome, and
paid a tribute to the Emperor William,
who. he said, mad done more for Germany
than any other man before him. Those OF
German blood wherever they be, have rea.
son to be proud Of the valiant soldier anC
able statesman whose life had lasted almost
century. thought the speaker, and it was
the unanimous wish everywhere that the
venerable emperor have his reign prolonged
for long years to come, and that it may con.
tinue i'll peace.
The male qilartette of the society SANG